Wire reducing machine



Feb. 13, 1940.

L. BERKEBIL wqm' REDUCINGMACHINE Filed July 18, 1958 '3 sheets sheet lINVENTOR LEE BERKEBIL BY ATTORNEYS Feb. 13, 1940. v BERKEBIL WIREREDUCING MACHINE Filed July 18, 19158 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR LEEBERKEBIL ATTORNEYS 7 Patented Feb. 13, I

v Winn aanucnvo momma heeBerkebiL Detroit, Michiyassignor to B. w.Manufacturing Company, Detroit, Mich;- a cor- 'poration of MichiganApplication July 18. 1938', sem m. 219,392

11 Claims. 01'. 205-3) This invention relates generally to wire reducingmachines and refers moreparticularly to machines or attachments formachines for reducing the diameter of wire stock and'the like; One ofthe essential objects, of the invention is to provide a self-containedunit of vthis type for drawing or extruding the wire stock.

, Another object is to provide a unit wherein a rotatable die isemployed for reducing the diame-' ter of the wire. A

" Another object is to provide a unit wherein -suitablemechanism forfeeding the wire tothe;

die is driven from the die operating means. 7 Another object is toprovide means for render- 1 ing the feed mechanism inoperative so thatthe die alone may operate, for example, when suitable means is employedinstead of orin addition to the feeding mechanism mentioned forpulling,-

instead of pushing, the wire through the die. In

- this connection the construction and arrangement is such that thefeeding mechanism mentioned may be used with the pulling means to movethe wire throughthe die.- -In the past dies employed in wire reducing2'5 machines have been either stationary or provided with longitudinalsliding or reciprocating movement. In practice it has been impracticalto extrude a hot rolledstock of relatively small diameter, for example,.25 of an inch or less.

Usually the mill supplies'all sizes of hot rolled stock within the samelimitations (plus or minus so many thousandths) This makes thepercentage of reduction on smaller sizes greater than the percentage ofreduction on larger stock; 1:5 consequently the percentage of reductionon v small stock may be so great that it is impossible to push the stockthrough the die without it upsetting or buckling or jamming in the dieas well as in the straightening bushings.

When the die, is not rotated all the energy n is applied to pushing thestock through the die.

When the die is rotated, the energy is divided be tween theforcenecessary to rotate the die on the stock and the force necessary topush the stock through the die, the speed of the'die having a directbearing on the amount of force exercised in pushing the stock throughthe die.

The same holds true in drawing wire by pull ng it through-a. rotating.die as'well asextruding wire by pushing it through a rotating die.

In the present instance small stock can be fed or pushed withoutbuckling through the rotating die, less force being required to feed orpush the stock through the die as the latter has a comparatively high R.P.-M. Since less force is required, a pair of rolls mav-suiiice to feedthe stock through the die. Moreover. the common drive for the die andfeed mechanism is such that the assembly may be built .as a unitand maybe used alone or as an attachment for a 5 machine having suitable stockfeeding means as aforesaid, for example, for a machine having stockpulling means as shown in my pending application filed June 27, 1938,bearing Serial No. 216,134. o a x y In the accompanying drawings; l

- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention;

' Figure 2 is a top plan view thereofi Figure 3 is anend elevation;Figure 4 elevation of the opposite end I of the machine;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially .on the line 5-5 ofFigure 2;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 66 ofFigure 3. 1

Referring to the drawings, A is the rotatin die, and B is the feedmechanism of an assembly embodying my invention. As shown, the die A isheld by a set screw I in a holder 2 non-rotat- 5 ably mounted in theinner end of a sleeve type shaft ljournaled in bearings 4 and 5respectively in a suitable powder box 6. Preferably the holder 2 isdriven from the shaft 3 by pins 1 projecting endwise from the adjacentend of 30 the shaft 3. In the present instance these pins 1 arerivetedto the shaft} and'have heads I engaging slots 9 in the periphery of thedie holder 2. The bearing 4 is a thrust bearing for the shari- 3 whilethe bearing 5 is preferablya roller bearing. A felt washer in isprovided at the outer end of the roller bearing to prevent the escape ofoil used for lubricating purposes while a retaining plate ii is providedat the adjacent end of the powder box to hold the roller bearing 40 5and felt washer ill in place.

and i3 respectively are bushings for the wire stock and are located inaxial alignment with the die A and holder 2 Preferably the bushing I2issecured to the rear wall ll of the 5 powder box and serves to guidethe wire stock from a suitable source such asa chuck (not shown) whichmay be similar to the feeder P in my application Serial No. 216,134filed June 27. 1,938, to the die A, while the bushing I 3 is car- 59ried by the shaft 3 at the forward end thereof and serves toguide thewire, stock to a predetermined point, for example, into a suitable chuck(not shown) which may be similar to the feeder N in my pendingapplication Serial No. 55

216,134 to advance the stock to a header. However, it should beunderstood that my wire reducing machine has substantially universal usein that it is adaptable for use with machines other than cold headingmachines. For example, it may be used alone as a wire reducing machine,or as an attachment for wire formin or wire drawing machines, four-slidemachines, etc.

I5 is a spacer located within the sleeve type shaft 3 between the holder2 and bushing l3, and IS, IT and I8 respectively are aligned boreswithin said parts for the wire stock.

The feed mechanism B preferably comprises a pair of cooperating rolls l9and 20 which engage the stock 2| at diametrically opposite sides'thereof and push it through the rotating die A.

Preferablythe lower roll I9 is fixed to a shaft 22 journaled in a frame23 rigid with the powder box, while the roll 20 is fixed ,to a shaft 24journaled in a spring pressed follower 25 that in turn is mounted toslide vertically in said frame.

'As shown, the follower 25 has a recess 26 containing a suitable spring21 and a header 23 therefor, and an adjusting'screw 29 threadedlyengaging the frame 23 bears against said header .28 and causes thespring 21 to urge the roll 29 downwardly toward the roll |9 so that theproper engagement with the stock 2| will be obtained.

Fixed upon theshaft 22 of the lower roll I9 is a worm gear 30 thatmeshes constantly with a worm 3| fixed upon a shaft 32 journaled inspaced bosses 33 and 34 respectively of the powder box and in the frame23.

Suspended from a base plate 35 for the powder box is an electric motor36 having a shaft 31 connected by suitable reduction gearing 38, carriedby the motor casing, to a. secondary shaft 39. Sprocket wheels 40 and 4|respectively are fixed to the shafts 39 and 32 respectively and areconnected by a suitable chain 42. Thus, the drive from the motor 36 tothe lower feed roll I9 is through the reductiongearing 38 and secondaryshaft 39, sprocket 40, chain 42, sprocket 4|, shaft 32, worm 3|, wormgear 36 and shaft 22. In this connection it should be appreciated thatthe upper feed roll 20 may be operatively connected to the lower feedroll by suitable gearing (not-shown) so thatthe upper feed roll 29 aswell as the lower feed roll l9 would be power driven to push thestockthrough the die.

In the present instance the die' A is rotated at relatively high R. P.M., and this is accomplished by providing a gear 43 on the sleeve typeshaft at its outer end and a gear-44 fixed on the shaft 32 and meshingwith said gear 43. Thus, the die A and feed roll I!) will operatesimultaneously when the motor 36 is in operation.

When the motor 36 is operating and the adjusting screw 29 is tightenedso that the upper feed roll 20 is pressed by the spring 21 intooperative relation with the stock 2|, the upper feed roll will rotatewith the lower power driven feed roll l9 to cause the stock to be pushedthrough the rotating die-A. However, when the adjusting screw 29 isloosened so that the upper feed ro l 29 is inoperative, the stock 2|will not be advanced or pushed by the lower feed roll l9 through therotating die. In this case suitable means such as a chuck (not shown)similar to N in my application Serial No. 216,134 maybe employed inadvance of the bushing l3 for pulling the stock through the die A whichwill be rotated by themotor. Thus, the dieA may operate simultaneouslywith or may operate without the feed rolls, as desired. Moreover, itwill be appreciated that the pulling means such as the chuck mentionedthat I contemplate using in advance of the bushing l3 will not interferewith the operation of the feed rolls l9 and 29, consequently such chuckmay, if desired, be used in addition to or as a substitute for the feedrolls to move the stock through the rotating die A.

-From the foregoing it will be apparent that the rotating die A, feedmechanism B, and drive means therefor cooperate with the powder box 6,frame 23 and base plate 35 to provide a selfcontained unit that may beused alone as a wire reducing machine or that may be used with othermachines or parts thereof, such, for example, as the machine set forthin my application Serial No. 216,134. Moreover, my wire drawing machineis especially adaptable for use with chucks similar to P and N set forthin my application Serial No. 216,134 which may, of course, be set upwithout the cold heading mechanism.

What I claim as my invention is: 1. In a wire drawing machine, a powderbox, a hollow shaft journaled'in a wall of said box, a die holder withinsaid box at the inner end of said shaft, the periphery of said holderhaving longitudinally extending grooves, a die secured in said holder,and a driving connection between said shaft and holder including pins,projecting endwise from said shaft, and engaging the iongitudinallyextending grooves. in the periphery of said holder.

2. Inc. wire drawing machine,a hollow shaft, a die holder at the innerend of said shaft, the periphery of said holder having longitudinallyextending grooves, a die secured in said holder, and a drivingconnection between said shaft and holder including pins projectingendwise from said shaft, and engaging the. longitudinally extendinggrooves in the periphery of said holder.

3. In a wire drawing machine, va powder box, a hollow shaft journaled ina wall of said box, a die holder secured in the winner end of saidshaft, a die secured to saidfholder, a shaft journaled in bearings uponthe outside of said box, a driving connection between said shafts, aworm on the second mentioned shaft, a pair of rolls for feeding stockthrough said hollow shaft, die holder and die, shafts for said rolls, aworm gear on one of the last two mentioned shafts meshing with the wormaforesaid, and power means for driving the second mentioned shaft.

4. In a wire drawing machine, a powder box, a hollow shaft journaled ina wall of said box, a die holder' secured in the inner end of saidshaft, a die secured to said holder, a pair of rolls for feeding stockthrough said shaft, holder and die. shafts for said rolls, a shaftjournaled in bearings upon the outside of said box, means for drivingthe last mentioned shaft, a worm on the last mentioned shaft, a wormgear on one of the two roll shafts meshingwith said worm, a gear on thelast mentioned shaft, and a gear on the hollow shaft meshing with thelast mentioned gear.

5. In a wire drawing machine, a shaft, a die holder secured to an end ofsad shaft, a die secured to said holder, a pair of rolls for feedingstock through said die, shafts for said rolls, a shaft substantiallyparallel to the first mentioned shaft, means for driving the lastmentioned shaft, a worm on the last mentioned shaft, a'worm gear on oneof the two roll shafts meshing with said worm, a gear on the lastmentioned shaft, and a box, a rotatable shaft journaled in one wall ofsaid box, a die holder carried by said shaft at its inner end withinsaid box, said shaft and holder having aligned bores for the wire, and aguide bushing for the wire extending through the opposite wall of thebox in alignment with the aligned bores aforesaid.

7. A wire reducing machine having a powder box, a rotatable shaftjournaled in one wall of said box, a die holder carried by said shaft atits inner end within said box, said shaft and holder having alignedbores for the wire, and guide bushings for the wire located respectivelyin rear and in advance of and in alignment with the aligned boresaforesaid, oneof said bushings extending through the opposite wall ofthe box, and the other of said bushings being located at the outer endof the shaft.

8. A wire reducing machine having a rotatable shaft, a die holdercarried by said shaft, a second rotatable shaft, a driving connectionbetween the second and first mentioned shafts including meshing gearscarried respectively by said shafts, a pair of cooperating rolls forfeeding wire through the holder, shafts for said rolls, one for eachroll, and a driving connection between the second shaft and one of saidfeed rolls including box, a driving connection between the second andfirst mentioned shafts including meshing gears carried respectively bysaid shafts outside said box, a pair of cooperating rolls for feedingwire throughthe holder, shafts for said rolls, one for each shaft, oneof said .feed roll shafts being journaled in said frame, a springpressed follower slidably mounted on said frame, the other of said feedroll shafts being journaled in said follower, and a driving connectionbetween the second mentioned shaft and one of said feed roll shaftsincluding a worm gear on said feed roll shaft, and a worm on' thesecondmentioned shaft meshing with said worm gear.

10. A wire reducing machine having a powder box, a sleeve type shaftjournaled in one upright wall of said box, a die holder carried by saidshaft at its inner end within said box, substantially aligned guidebushings for the wire carried by said shaft and box, one of saidbushings being in said sleeve type shaft, and the other of said bushingsextending through the opposite upright wall of the box, and a diecarried by said holder between and substantially in alignment with saidbushings.

11. A wire reducing machine having a powder box, a rotatable sleeve typeshaft journaled in one upright wall of said box, a die holder carried bysaid shaft at its inner end within said box, a die carried by saidholder, and guide bushings for the wire located respectively in rear andin advance of and in alignment with said die, one of said bushings beingsecured to the opposite up-' right wall of the box, and the other ofsaid bush-'- ings being at the outer end of said shaft.

LEE BERKEBIL.

